Chateau Latour 2005

Review of the Estate

Established in the 1670s, the vineyards of Château Latour are some of the oldest in the Médoc, pre-dating the existing Château (which was built between 1862 and 1864) by almost 200 years.

The grandiose Tower of St Lambert depicted on the wine’s label is instantly recognisable. Built as a fortress during the Hundred Years’ War in the late 1300s, it was burned to the ground in the 1450s and replaced by a pigeon tower, built from the stones of the former Château, between 1620 and 1630.

It was not until the early 18th century that Chateau Latour came to prominence as a producer of first class wines. This success can largely be attributed to the demands of a budding wine market in Northern Europe and the Marquis de Ségur’s concurrent investment in Chateau Latour's vineyard and winery. Ownership remained in the de Ségur family for almost 300 years until 1963 when three quarters of the shares in Château Latour were sold to a British company, the Pearson group.

The intensive modernisation and attention to detail that followed this change in ownership has continued with the management of Francois Pinault, the current owner of Chateau Latour, who acquired the estate in 1993. Together Pinault and Frédéric Engerer, his estate manager, are renowned for producing exemplary yet consistent wines, which are especially fine, even in weaker vintages. This notable finesse, as any discerning consumer will attest, is an exceptional and rare occurrence.

Robert Parker Latour 2005 Review

Score: 98 Points

Only 44% of the production made it into the dense ruby/purple-hued 2005 Latour, a powerful, backward, 12,000-case blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot and Merlot. As I wrote last year, this classic effort is built for the ages, and is largely destined to be drunk by our offspring rather than anyone over the age of 50 today. Complex aromas of crushed rocks, graphite, black cherries, creme de cassis, new saddle leather, and dried mushrooms are still tightly wound. The wine is full-bodied and powerful with exceptionally high tannin combined with zesty acidity, and laser-like focus. It will require 15 or more years of cellaring. I still prefer the 2003, but administrator Frederic Engerer says this “is more Latour.” Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060.

Latour is always the most difficult Medoc first-growth to find, largely because the vineyard and production are much smaller than its’ peers and because of the severe selection routinely done by owner Francois Pinault and administrator Frederic Engerer.